Page 102 of Tricky Magic
“Fucking shit balls, Ros!” She took each one out and squealed louder as she read all the titles. “How?”
It was the complete series from an author who had been banned for centuries. Ellea only had one of her books, and the pages were almost see-through from the amount of times she’d read it. Now she had the complete series, and...
“First editions,” she whispered, running her fingertip over the gold Roman numeral on the spine. Then she ran it over the embossed title of the first book. It was one she had only heard in whispers in the bookstores.Bear and My Heartby C. Clair.
“Ag said it was something called a reverse-harem shifter series?” Ros said. “I thought that you would maybe want the hardbacks since you carry around that disheveled paperback. Is it okay?”
“Ros…” She couldn’t find the words. “This is too much.”
She looked down at the books in her lap, and they became blurry with tears.
“If you want something else”—he lifted her chin—“I can bring these back and get you something better.”
“You are so annoying.” She wiped at a tear that escaped. “These probably cost a fortune, and they shouldn’t even exist.”
“Do you like them?” He still looked worried.
“Of course, I like them,” she said, slapping his arm with the book and then quickly cradling it to her chest. “I fucking love them.”
“Good.” He quickly pecked her on the lips and then got out of bed. “Let’s go.”
“Where?” She tried to suppress her whine.
Ellea hated surprises. She would have rather had breakfast in bed and maybe Ros for breakfast dessert, then spend the day reading. Instead, he was picking out a pair of jeans, her boots, a sweater, and a jacket for her to wear.
She reluctantly got out of bed and got dressed as he ignored her pout and whine.
“I really wanted to spend most of my birthday naked,” she said, cocking an eyebrow at him as he buttoned her up in the jacket he’d chosen. “And also reading.”
She looked sadly at the books on the bed.
“We are going for a ride to my favorite spot in the whole town,” he said as he pulled her in for a rough kiss.
“Ride?” She was curious.
“Motorcycle ride.” He grinned at her and grabbed the first book, placing it gently in his large pocket.
Ros looked so young with that grin on his face, all white teeth and a glint in his eyes. She forgot how to think. It was so different from his smirk, his quiet smile, and the grimace that he wore most hours of the day. Swallowing hard, she nodded at him, and he dragged her out of the cabin.
* * *
Ellea was thankful for Ros’massive size as she sat behind him on his motorcycle. He blocked most of the harsh wind as they rode through the winding roads. Her arms clung to his waist and hid in his pockets. She had only groped him a few times before her fingers began to freeze.
The morning sunlight shining on the autumn leaves was beautiful. With each hill they climbed, the sights changed. There were rolling hills with horses peppering the fields. They rode past dense forests where beasts and creatures raced alongside them as they sped down the roads. The road narrowed as the ground leveled out. The trees connected overhead and blocked out the sun so much that you would think it was twilight.
Ros slowed and Ellea relaxed her grip on him. She sat up straighter and looked up at the trees. They were massive and old and made her feel as though she was traveling through an ancient tunnel, one that led to an unknown land filled with dragons and old, wild magic. Ros tapped her leg and pointed ahead. The sun shone through again as they neared the treeline, and her heart picked up. Once her eyes adjusted, she gasped.
They were at the top of a valley. Glittering lakes, orange and gold forests, and endless scenery lay before them. In the distance, she could see the small town center. Ellea couldn’t peel her eyes away from the view as Ros pulled his motorcycle off the road and stood it next to a low rock wall. He helped her down before grabbing a blanket, thermos, and small tote from his saddle bag. He grabbed ahold of her hand and led her over to a clearing.
The sun warmed her face as Ros spread the blanket and sat. He spread everything out and motioned for her to sit. As she did, he poured her coffee. Her mouth watered; she could smell her homemade syrup, and it looked like he’d put in just the right amount of cream. Then he pulled out two chocolate pastries that were somehow still warm.
He was being so quiet, and she couldn’t bring herself to break the spell of it. The coffee was perfect, and as soon as she’d wiped the crumbs off her hands, he reached into his pocket and pulled out her new book. She could have jumped him right there if she wasn’t so eager to read. She placed a quick kiss on his lips and gave him a winning grin, then she settled her head on his lap and opened to the first page.
56
Ros
Today was a dream. It had to be. Ros would never get over waking up next to Ellea. No matter how pouty or tousled she was, he would always want to wake up to her. And her present… He would build her a library to hear her squeal like that all the time.
